September 17, 2020

Over the 12 months ended August 2020, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers increased 1.3 percent. Food prices increased 4.1 percent over the last 12 months. Within the food category, food at home prices rose 4.6 percent, including a 7.1-percent increase in prices for meat, poultry, fish, and eggs. Food away from home increased 3.5 percent over this period.

Want a career with good job prospects and high pay? The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) can help you identify a few to consider.

The chart highlights occupations that are projected to have thousands of openings each year from 2019 to 2029. Compared with all occupations nationally, those shown in the chart have employment growth that is projected to be much faster than the 4-percent average over the decade. They also had wages that were more than double the median annual wage of $39,810 in 2019.

BLS has closely tracked the upheaval in the U.S. job market in recent months, most notably through the monthly “payroll jobs” data. These data, from the Current Employment Statistics survey, provide detail on the change in employment in each industry. We count jobs by asking thousands of employers every month the number of employees on their payroll for the pay period that includes the 12th of the month. For August, we reported that employers added 1.4 million jobs. Today I want to scratch beneath that surface and examine recent employment trends in several industries.

But before I go on, let me take a moment to thank all those businesses that respond voluntarily to our request for information every month. With so much going on, responding to a BLS survey may not be your highest priority. Yet, you continue to come through every month, and for that we extend our sincere thanks.

Using February 2020 as our starting point, let’s look at the job losses that...

September 17, 2020

Over the 12 months ended August 2020, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers increased 1.3 percent. Food prices increased 4.1 percent over the last 12 months. Within the food category, food at home prices rose 4.6 percent, including a 7.1-percent increase in prices for meat, poultry, fish, and eggs. Food away from home increased 3.5 percent over this period.

September 16, 2020

The Producer Price Index for final demand declined 0.2 percent from August 2019 to August 2020. This was driven by a 1.6-percent drop in prices for final demand goods. Prices for final demand services increased 0.4 percent for the 12 months ended in August.

Elka Torpey | September 2020

During a crisis, like a hurricane or the COVID-19 pandemic, some organizations close temporarily while others continue—perhaps even changing their mission. Which workers stay on the job in chaotic times, and what’s the long-term outlook in their occupations?

Workers in hospitals, food manufacturing plants, and utilities are among those who may be required to report in person. Exactly which workers are considered “essential” may differ, depending on where they live and other factors. But the goods or services that they provide are nearly always vital, in some way, to life and welfare.

This article highlights U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data for selected occupations in which workers help to carry out critical tasks. Keep reading to learn more about the employment, projected openings, wages, and typical entry requirements for these occupations.

September 16, 2020

The Producer Price Index for final demand declined 0.2 percent from August 2019 to August 2020. This was driven by a 1.6-percent drop in prices for final demand goods. Prices for final demand services increased 0.4 percent for the 12 months ended in August.

September 15, 2020

About 1 in 4 people employed in August 2020 teleworked or worked from home for pay because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 24 percent of workers who teleworked in August was down from 35 percent in May, the first month these data were collected.

Large urban areas are often hustling and bustling with city-goers moving from place to place. What are some of the labor market trends that set these densely populated areas apart? The Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) program publishes estimates on job openings, hires, and separations. JOLTS estimates can provide insights into labor market dynamics, such as labor demand and labor turnover that other employment measures cannot. In June 2020, the JOLTS program published Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) research estimates.1 The JOLTS MSA research estimates offer valuable information at finer geographic detail than national, regional, or state-level estimates. This Beyond the Numbers article features JOLTS MSA research estimates for the 18-largest MSAs. In this article, we explore trends in a number of measures—job openings, hires, separations (including quits and layoffs and discharges), labor churn, and unemployment—that allow...

September 15, 2020

About 1 in 4 people employed in August 2020 teleworked or worked from home for pay because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 24 percent of workers who teleworked in August was down from 35 percent in May, the first month these data were collected.

Thursday, September 24, 2020 | 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (ET) | Hosted by the BLS Atlanta Regional Office

Join the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on September 24th to learn how the COVID-19 virus has impacted BLS operations and the labor market. Commissioner William W. Beach will speak on how the Agency has continued to collect data and keep the numbers coming during a pandemic. Next, Julie Hatch Maxfield, Associate Commissioner of Employment and Unemployment Statistics, will discuss how labor market data have changed over the course of 2020. A short Q&A will follow each presentation. Moderated by BLS Atlanta Regional Commissioner Janet S. Rankin. (Event Details | Contact Information | Register Now)

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is tracking the progress of Hurricane Sally. According to a Public Advisory issued by the NHC at 1130 AM CDT (1630 UTC), the center of Hurricane Sally was located near latitude 28.7 North, longitude 87.0 West. Sally is moving toward the west-northwest near 7 mph (11 km/h). This general motion is expected to continue today, followed by a decrease in forward speed and a turn toward the northwest tonight and a northward turn sometime on Tuesday.  On the forecast track, the center of Sally will move over the north-central Gulf of Mexico today, approach southeastern Louisiana tonight, and make landfall in the hurricane warning area on Tuesday or Tuesday night. Afterward, Sally is expected to move slowly north-northeastward near the northern Gulf Coast through Wednesday. BLS maps and tables are available for areas in all of the states that may be affected by this event. For more information on hurricanes, see the National Hurricane...

September 14, 2020

On the last business day of July 2020, there were 6.6 million job openings and 16.3 million unemployed people during July 2020. This yielded a ratio of unemployed people to job openings of 2.5 for July, down from 3.0 in June.

This article examines trends in real average hourly earnings (1982–84 dollars) for all employees from June 2009, the trough of the 2007–09 recession, to December 2019. It looks at real earnings at the total private and major industry levels, with more detailed analysis for select industries. The article analyzes what drove the postrecession growth in real hourly earnings. In particular, it identifies which industries contributed the most to overall earnings growth during the period.

September 14, 2020

On the last business day of July 2020, there were 6.6 million job openings and 16.3 million unemployed people during July 2020. This yielded a ratio of unemployed people to job openings of 2.5 for July, down from 3.0 in June.

September 11, 2020

From the second quarter of 2019 to the second quarter of 2020, nonfarm business output decreased 11.2 percent and hours worked decreased 13.6 percent, resulting in a 2.8-percent increase in productivity.

U.S. Import and Export Price IndexesTuesday, September 15, 2020 (08:30 AM)Employer Costs for Employee CompensationThursday, September 17, 2020 (10:00 AM)State Employment and Unemployment (Monthly)Friday, September 18, 2020 (10:00 AM)Employee TenureTuesday, September 22, 2020 (10:00 AM)Employee Benefits in the United StatesThursday, September 24, 2020 (10:00 AM)

September 11, 2020

From the second quarter of 2019 to the second quarter of 2020, nonfarm business output decreased 11.2 percent and hours worked decreased 13.6 percent, resulting in a 2.8-percent increase in productivity.